Revelation 2:1-7
2 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
Today’s Gospel (Luke 21:25-36) turns our attention to Christ’s second advent, with His urgent warning that we not allow ourselves to be so entangled in worldly affairs that we are no longer watchful and ready for His return.
The devotional text from Revelation fine-tunes that warning. The angel (i.e., the pastor) of the church in Ephesus, and, by extension, the members of his congregation, were faithfully watching out for false doctrine and eradicating impenitent sinners from their midst. They rightfully hated the practices of the Nicolaitans, who were attempting to normalize adultery and sexual immorality within the Christian Church. They were doing many of the outward things that Christians ought to do.
Even so, they were not ready for Christ’s advent, because all their watching, all their toiling, all their fighting for the truth was no longer motivated by love. Some 35 years earlier, the Apostle Paul had written this to the Ephesian Christians when their church was in its early days: “I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints” (Eph. 1:15). Apparently, that love had grown cold. Their devotion to purity of doctrine and life had become an external thing, a matter of pride or of self-righteousness instead of a matter of love. They were doing the right things, but it wasn’t coming from a love for God or for His people. And as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13).
As you watch for Jesus to return, search your heart. And if love is missing, repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness before He comes! Then you will surely overcome this world and be allowed to eat from the tree of life when He comes!
Let us pray: O Lord, You see what is in our hearts as You walk among Your churches everywhere. Forgive us our sins and warm our hearts with Your love that we may imitate You even as we watch for You. Amen.
